Apparatus for confining floating material



Sept. 1, 1964 M. F. SMITH APPARATUS FOR CONF'INING FLOATING MATERIALOriginal Filed Feb. 2, 1962 pl vD INVENTQR Millard EJSmL/L ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent O 3,146,598 APPARATUS FOR CONFINING FLOATINGMATERIAL Millard F. Smith, Westport, Conn. Neirad Industries, Inc., R0.Box 295, Saugatuck, Conn.) Continuation of appiication Ser. No. 170,735, Feb. 2, 1962. This application May 10, 1963, Ser. No. 279,656 4Claims. (Cl. 61-1) The present invention is directed toward alightweight flexible floating boom to surround an area where there issome danger of escape of oil or other light-weight fluids. The floatingboom provides a barrier to confine any such fluids to minimize thedanger of fire, odor, or fouling of the surrounding water.

This application is a continuation of my co-pending application, SerialNo. 170,735, filed February 2, 1962, and titled Floating Oil Boom, nowabandoned.

One previously known floating oil boom comprises a canvas curtainsuspended in the water by cork floats. This type of boom was quite heavyand clumsy to handle, and required many men to handle it due to itsrelatively great weight. The canvas had a comparatively short life inwater due to its tendency to rot; in addition, due to the initial costof a cork and canvas boom, for economic reasons such a boom had to becleaned and reused after contact with a substance such as crude oil.

Another type of oil boom known in the prior art was manufactured ofaluminum. The aluminum floats of this type of boom were easily damagedby collision with a boat or by being slammed into pilings, etc., by thewaves or the wind. Even if the collision did not puncture the aluminumfloats, the floats were quite readily deformed. The aluminum sectionswere heavy and diflicult to handle, many men being required to placethem in position. Due to the comparatively expensive aluminumconstruction, the boom had to be cleaned and reused after contact withoil. Furthermore, this type of boom came in rigid sections which had tobe coupled together to form a long barrier, and then had to be uncoupledafter use. This necessarily required a good deal of labor and delay.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a light-weightfloating oil boom which is easy to handle and store.

It is another object of the invention to provide a boom of the abovecharacter which is manufactured of nonsparking materials, reducing thepossibility of fires.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a boom of the abovecharacter which is sturdy, and will be undamaged by collisions.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a boom of the abovecharacter which is inexpensive, and which may be disposed of by burning.

It is another object of the invention to provide a boom of the abovecharacter which is continuous and flexible, eliminating the necessity ofcoupling of sections together.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a boom of theabove character which is collapsible, whereby the boom may be stored ina relatively small space.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessingthe features, properties, and the relation of elements which will beexemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of theinvention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a dock showing a first boom inposition around a ship, and showing a launch preparing to tow a secondboom into position.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevation view of one end portion of theboom of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional vertical end view taken along line 33 ofFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional vertical end view taken along line 44 ofFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional horizontal plan view taken along line 55of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the floats, showingthe groove which receives the fin.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the floating oil boom of the presentinvention generally comprises a continuous elongated flexible plasticcurtain or fin which is suspended in the water by a series of floats ofexpanded plastic polymer secured at intervals to one elongated edge ofthe fin. Preferably, the other elongated edge of the fin is weighted.FIGURE 1 shows an oil tanker 10 tied to a dock or pier 12, having thenovel oil boom 14 positioned around the ship 10 to trap any oil orsimilar fluid which may be discharged, effectively preventing fouling ofthe neighboring anchorage and downstream waters. When not in use, boom14 may be compactly flaked into breakaway containers 16 under dock 12,from which boom 14 may readily be paid out behind launch 18 much fasterthan prior booms.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the boom according to the present inventioncomprises a continuous sheet or fin 20 of any desired length. The upperedge 22 of sheet 25 is attached to a plurality of spaced floats 24. Apainter 25 is secured to the end float 24 for towing by the launch 18.Fin 20 may be made of any desired material which is chemically inert,impervious to water and oil and which has a long life when exposed tothese materials, for example, polyethylene or other artificial polymericsheets.

Floats 24 are made of a suitable expanded polymer, for example, foamedpolyethylene. The float 24 is preferably in the form of a right circularcylinder having in its lower surface a slot 26 parallel to the axis ofthe cylinder, slot 26 having a width equal to the thickness of fin 20.Floats 24 are spaced far enough apart so that fin 20 provides a flexibleintermediate portion between adjacent floats so that boom 14 may becompactly flaked for storage as shown in FIGURE 1.

In order to provide a barrier of continuous level, each float 24 otherthan the pair on the ends of boom 14 has a vertical slot extension 28(FIGURE 6). Vertical slot extension 28 at the ends of float 24 extendentirely through the float, to accommodate integral fin extensions 30.The end pair of floats 24 preferably have such slots only on the endsadjacent other floats 24. Pin extensions 3% are generally rectangularsegments of fin material fitted in and extending between facing slotextensions 28 in adjoining floats, and these fin extensions 30 may beheat sealed to the main portion of fin 20 as at 31.

A plurality of rivets 32 secure fin 20 to floats 24. Rivets 32 extendthrough apertures 34 (see FIGURES 3 and 4) and through mating apertures36 in fin 20 and fin extension 30. Rivets 32 are preferably made frompolyethylene rods or dowels of suitable length inserted throughapertures 34 and 36. Polyethylene washers 38 are then assembled over theends of the dowels, after which the ends are heated and peened overwashers 38 to form flattened bead members 40, locking floats 24 to fin20 and fin extension 30.

In order to ballast fin 20 and maintain it in a vertical position in thewater, a plurality of weights 42 are attached to the lower edge 44 offin 20. As illustrated in FIGURE 5, weights 42 may be in the form of alead staple which is inserted through corresponding pairs of apertures46 in the lower edge 44 of fin 20 and clinched.

While the floats 24 have been disclosed as preferably .in the form ofright circular cylinders, other forms of floats may be utilized. Forexample, the floats may be in the form of elongated planks of expandedor foamed poly- 11161 suitably attached to a polymer fin. Two planks maybe attached, one on either side of the fin to form a sandwich-likeconstruction. Preferably such a pair of planks would be in the form ofhalves of a longitudinally divided right circular cylinder, assembledtogether flush with the top edge of the fin. Such a construction wouldeliminate the need for fin extensions 30. Thus floats in the form ofcylinders having any desired shape of cross-section or generating areamay be employed, whether rectangular, square, polygonal or irregular.However, the right circular cylinder form is preferred because of lowwind resistance when in the water, effectively reducing heeling of theboom in high winds. The central positioning of fin 20 in a generallyradial slot 26 likewise enhances balance and stability of the boom, butthe fin may be secured to the side surface of the floats if desired.

Likewise, materials may be utilized other than the preferredpolyethylene. For example, foamed polyurethane may be used for thefloats although presently it is fairly expensive. Similarly, presentlyavailable polystyrene foams are usually too friable to give longservice, but are otherwise suitable. While rivets 32 have beenillustrated for the purpose of attaching fin 20 to float 24, othermethods may be used such as heat welding or the use of suitableadhesives or solvents.

In the floating oil boom 14 as above disclosed, the floats 24 maytypically be approximately 9 feet long and from 3 to 6 inches indiameter. Floats 24 may be spaced approximately 10 inches apart on oneelongated edge of fin 20 which may be of any desired length. The overallheight of fin 20, including vertical extension 30, may be approximately12 inches. With these dimensions, the boom 14 weighs approximately 6 /2ounces per linear foot, which is many times lighter than previouslyknown floating oil booms. Due to its extremely light weight, two men ina light launch can break out and tow a 2500 foot boom made according tothe present invention around the largest oil tanker in 10 minutes, ascompared to eight or more men and one hour required with priorconstructions. The boom 14 according to the present invention provides acontinuous barrier without a joint or break, thus eliminating the timeand expense required for coupling boom sections together according tothe prior art. Furthermore, the present boom is so inexpensive that whenbadly fouled, the cost of burning and replacing this boom isconsiderably less than the cost of cleaning a cork and canvas boom ofthe conventional type. Using the preferred materials, the entire boommay be destroyed by burning on a burning barge at sea, since with theexception of the small lead weights, the entire boom is made of aflammable material.

As has been made apparent from the above description, there has beenprovided a light-weight floating oil boom wherein the separation betweenfloats provides for a flexible portion permitting ready storage and easein handling. In its preferred embodiment, the entire boom ismanufactured of non-sparking materials, reducing the possibility offire. The foamed polymer utilized for floats eliminates the possibilityof sinking a float by collision or other manhandling, and utilizing thepreferred materials, the boom can withstand a large amount of abusewithout being damaged.

The provision of a continuous polymer fin eliminates the necessity ofcoupling several sections together and makes possible large savings inman power and time required to install the floating boom in position.Using the preferred materials, a boom manufactured in accordance withthe instant disclosure is quite inexpensive, and may be disposed of byburning when badly fouled. The in- 4 stant boom is quite compact in itscollapsed position and may be stored in a relatively small space, andyet is convenient for rapid installation by a small light launch.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efliciently attained, andsince certain changes may be made in the above construction withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A floating oil boom characterized by facile storage and usecomprising, in combination,

(A) a continuous elongated flexible polymer fin having an opposed pairof longitudinal edges,

(B) a plurality of elongated expanded polymer floats positioned along afirst fin edge,

(1) said elongated floats being longitudinally spaced apart along saidfin by at least twice the maximum float thickness to permit said fin tobend back on itself and allow said boom to be folded in an accordionmanner,

(2) the upper edge of said floats being substantially aligned with theportions of said first fin edge intermediate adjacent floats to providea continuous barrier of substantially uniform height, and

(C) means securing said floats to said fin whereby said fin may befolded in accordion-like fashion at points intermediate said floats topermit storage of said boom in a fully assembled condition and the boommay be positioned by towing one end thereof to unfold said boom.

2. The floating oil boom defined in claim 1 wherein there is provided aplurality of ballast weights secured through said fin adjacent thesecond of said opposed pair of elongated fin edges.

3. The floating oil boom defined in claim 1 wherein (A) said floats areelongated cylinders that present low wind resistance,

(1) each of said floats having a longitudinal slot in its lower surfaceto receive and straddle said fin, and wherein (B) said securing meansare polymer rivets retaining said fin in said slot.

4. The floating oil boom defined in claim 3 wherein (A) a portion ofsaid longitudinal slot extends vertically entirely through said cylinderat the end of said float, and

(B) said first edge of said fin is provided with vertical extensionsbetween adjacent floats,

( 1) said vertical extensions are received in said extended verticalslot portions and extend vertically substantially to the tops of saidfloats.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,240,567 Meacham May 6, 1941 2,366,274 Luth Jan. 2, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS 739,171 France Oct. 24, 1932 1,249,315 France Nov. 21, 19601,049,085 Germany Jan. 29, 1959 829,756 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1960843,131 Great Britain Aug. 4, 1960

1. A FLOATING OIL BOOM CHARACTERIZED BY FACILE STORAGE AND USECOMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) A CONTINUOUS ELONGATED FLEXIBLE POLYMERFIN HAVING AN OPPOSED PAIR OF LONGITUDINAL EDGES, (B) A PLURALITY OFELONGATED EXPANDED POLYMER FLOATS POSITIONED ALONG A FIRST FIN EDGE, (1)SAID ELONGATED FLOATS BEING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED APART ALONG SAID FINBY AT LEAST TWICE THE MAXIMUM FLOAT THICKNESS TO PERMIT SAID FIN TO BENDBACK ON ITSELF AND ALLOW SAID BOOM TO BE FOLDED IN AN ACCORDION MANNER,(2) THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID FLOATS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED WITH THEPORTIONS OF SAID FIRST FIN EDGE INTERMEDIATE ADJACENT FLOATS TO PROVIDEA CONTINUOUS BARRIER OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM HEIGHT, AND (C) MEANSSECURING SAID FLOATS TO SAID FIN WHEREBY SAID FIN MAY BE FOLDED INACCORDION-LIKE FASHION AT POINTS INTERMEDIATE SAID FLOATS TO PERMITSTORAGE OF SAID BOOM IN A FULLY ASSEMBLED CONDITION AND THE BOOM MAY BEPOSITIONED BY TOWING ONE END THEREOF TO UNFOLD SAID BOOM.